Am I hearing things?

[Night_Ryder]

I was just listening on my two way to jandakot tower (118.10) and I heard a mayday call go out, however it was odd as it said "mayday mayday mayday, Cessna 152, we are crashing, we are 600nm west, oh no oh no were going to die." I am a pilot and I know for sure thats not the format for a mayday call, and the position said is absurdly unrealistic, however I dont know if anyone else heard this cause I didnt hear any aircraft respond or ATC respond (YPJT tower closed). I think some idiot has gotten hold of a aviation transceiver. Did anyone else hear this?

[Toottoot]

Didnt hear that but I live near the airport and have now got a cessna 152 as a garden ornament.

[Night_Ryder]

Yea I live in Brentwood/mt. Pleasant and I heard it quite clearly. The person making the call had a deep voice. Bloody idiots.

[gkoutlis]

Without going into specifics - it was a confirmed hoax - one of the pilots flying VH-YNH - used circuit frequency to report the hoax...

I beleive the tower took it seriously so not sure what the end result was, but your right Night_Ryder - Can you confirm the time you heard it?

[spartacus]

and why would a cessna 172 fly 600nm into the ocean and just turn back again? And i doubt increasing flight time is a good excuse.

[Night_Ryder]

Yea it was about 8:05 when I heard it. Yea I have heard lately some people making stupid call over the radio, mr. g. I dont know how these idiots get hold of these radios. I mean I have one but I am a pilot and I actually use it to converse with ATC

[vk6hgr]

I dont know how these idiots get hold of these radios.

Ebay.

[gkoutlis]

This is the sad and sorry case of people who have nothing better to do than put people's lives at risk.

For starters that was not the correct procedure for broadcasting an emergency Mayday Call.

Whats more urgent that gives you priority is PAN PAN.

[quote]
MAYDAY CALL & SQUAWK 7700
“Mayday, Mayday, Mayday,
Perth Radar, ZFR, Piper Warrior, engine
failure, attempting to land in a paddock, 4,500
feet, 8NM east of Serpentine.â€

[Night_Ryder]

G, did you say that PAN PAN PAN is more urgent that a Mayday call? because if you did your wrong, unfortunately. Mayday is given the utmost priority. Nah I didnt hear that they were investigating these incidents. I hope they catch the bastards, because they are endangering lives when they play their stupid pranks. What would the offender get, in regards to punishment, if the AFP caught them? Im thinking that although YPJT was a GAAP, thus having a tower controller present, the tower controller would not have heard them because the transmitter would not have been in line of site to the tower but in line of aircraft, hence the pilots were the ones reporting it. Just an idea

[gkoutlis]

G, did you say that PAN PAN PAN is more urgent that a Mayday call? because if you did your wrong, unfortunately. Mayday is given the utmost priority. Nah I didnt hear that they were investigating these incidents. I hope they catch the bastards, because they are endangering lives when they play their stupid pranks. What would the offender get, in regards to punishment, if the AFP caught them? Im thinking that although YPJT was a GAAP, thus having a tower controller present, the tower controller would not have heard them because the transmitter would not have been in line of site to the tower but in line of aircraft, hence the pilots were the ones reporting it. Just an idea

Not fighting with you my friend, but this from my training file - and from my Chief Flight Instructor -

The frequency on which a distress call ( a MAYDAY transmission) or an urgency message ( a PAN-PAN transmission) is made should be that which is most likely to provide a quick response from a responsible person.

[gkoutlis]

http://www.auf.asn.au/comms/safety.html

Distress is defined as a situation where, in the opinion of the pilot in command, an aircraft – or vessel, vehicle or person – is in grave and imminent danger and requires immediate assistance. The word 'Mayday', an anglicized version of the French m'aidez [help me], was adopted in 1927 as the standard R/T distress call.

&

If the pilot considers there is some uncertainty and/or urgency in the situation and assistance may be needed then he/she may decide to advise of an urgency condition and initiate a PAN-PAN broadcast, stating the nature of the alert, pilot's intentions and assistance desired.

Declaring an emergency in an appropriate situation displays good airmanship – and people do like to help.

[Night_Ryder]

Nah I not getting the impression that were are fighting, nor am I trying to discredit you or anything to that effect. I am doing my comm training at the West Aust. Aviation College and since my first lesson of PFLs I was told that a Mayday call, a distress call, demands the most priority. I guess different flying schools different methods. It doesnt matter as long as one can safely fly the aircraft it doesnt really matter how they talk on the radio. Once again, what type of penalties would the hoax mayday offenders get from the AFP is they were caught?

[gkoutlis]

Nah I not getting the impression that were are fighting, nor am I trying to discredit you or anything to that effect. I am doing my comm training at the West Aust. Aviation College and since my first lesson of PFLs I was told that a Mayday call, a distress call, demands the most priority. I guess different flying schools different methods. It doesnt matter as long as one can safely fly the aircraft it doesnt really matter how they talk on the radio. Once again, what type of penalties would the hoax mayday offenders get from the AFP is they were caught?

No problems at all - and I commend you on questioning it - It certainly raised a valid point - but check out this link - and let me know what you think -

http://www.auf.asn.au/comms/safety.html

Good luck in your endevours - with comms - couldnt think of anyone better to take up the challenge... - There is a severe penalty I'm told for false broadcasting a Emergency Mayday/Pan Pan.. Just as bad as calling 000 and saying there is a bomb - but really there isn't - so yeah... I could imagine - disiplinary action, fine/jail - and loss of Pilots license??.... I hope its one of those...

[Night_Ryder]

Distress calls have absolute priority over all other communications on that frequency, and the word MAYDAY commands immediate radio silence: which should continue until it is seen that communication has been properly established between the station in distress and a responsible authority, and assistance is being provided.

I assume when it says "distress" it refers to Mayday calls, therefore a mayday call has priority over a PAN call.

Similarly PAN-PAN urgency communications have priority over all other communications except distress calls.

I dont think this could be a pilot, because I pilot would know how stupid and dangerous it is to do such a thing as a hoax mayday call. Also, it would cost a tonne of money due to the fact that although people may have suspicions that the call is fake they are required to respond nonetheless. Arent they?

[gkoutlis]

Distress calls have absolute priority over all other communications on that frequency, and the word MAYDAY commands immediate radio silence: which should continue until it is seen that communication has been properly established between the station in distress and a responsible authority, and assistance is being provided.

I assume when it says "distress" it refers to Mayday calls, therefore a mayday call has priority over a PAN call.

Similarly PAN-PAN urgency communications have priority over all other communications except distress calls.

Fair call - I rest my case